FINALLY: Anyone who's been watching the revitalization of Silver Spring might have noticed a boom in something other than construction cranes and Starbucks stores: Silver Spring-related blogs. According to the New York Times, gentrifying neighborhoods usually have a high number of bloggers. A year and a half ago, the only Silver Spring blogs were the Singular and the Scene, but today, therearenowatleasteightotherblogs covering the greater Silver Spring area.

One of these new blogs is Thayer Avenue, named for the street in question. While we weren't on the blogroll (at the time of publication), we hope that Thayer Avenue will welcome East County into the fold because, after all, we gave them a Target, and we will take it away.

Another new addition is Silver Spring Town Center, a "community networking site" for residents and fans of Downtown Silver Spring. It's the brainchild of local activist Richard Jaeggi, whose daughter, Lisa, directed last summer's documentary Finding Our Turf. Think of SSTC as a Facebook for Silver Spring, if you will, except without the potential embarassment.

Do you think the Silver Spring blog community's made the changes easier to handle? Is the wall between The People and The People In Charge being broken down? And, most importantly - is it bringing people together?

9 comments:

Between JUTP and the SS Penguin, local readers can get a well-informed and constructively critical view on county goings-on. The Head-to-Head Tour was superb, and far more interesting than general news reporting on issues of MoCo government, development, and, of course, trans fats.

As Silver Spring is nationally regarded as a success story in urban redevelopment, I think it's at that juncture where things will either continue to be great or take a turn for the worse--"the worse" being the elitism and vanity of Bethesda, in my opinion.

And with our next-door neighbor DC thinking it's the center of the universe when very little actually gets done there, I'm glad I can turn to county blogs and newspapers to read about local change.

"As Silver Spring is nationally regarded as a success story in urban redevelopment, I think it's at that juncture where things will either continue to be great or take a turn for the worse--"the worse" being the elitism and vanity of Bethesda, in my opinion."Quote Ginger

Bethesda is a national and regional model for an ideal CBD. Bethesda has the best schools, most restaurants, most expensive office space and housing. That's why it is one if not the region's premier neighborhood. Everyone recognizes that Bethesda is overall nicer than Silver Spring. Most Silver Spring people would probably live there if they could afford to.

Bethesda is "nicer" by your definition of nice. And its schools certainly are the best--on paper, that is. As someone who was born and raised in Bethesda and lived there for over 22 years, my definition of a "nice" place to live is one that embraces community, diversity, and livability. Hence the appeal of Silver Spring.

Very few people who currently live in Bethesda lived there two decades ago, when it felt a lot more like today's Silver Spring. Many of us old timers miss the days when Uncle Jed's and Olsson's Books were thriving local businesses and neighborhood bars didn't have dress codes.

So, yes, Sanjay, you're right. Today's Bethesda is "the region's premier neighborhood." If you're into that kind of thing.